Sony Pictures confirms feature-film talks with YouTube

Sony Pictures has acknowledged that it is discussing a deal to license feature films to Google's YouTube.

On Monday, CNET reported the two companies were discussing a deal that could help YouTube become an outlet for premium full-length content. Right now, YouTube offers mostly independent films and a handful of titles from Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

Sony Pictures wants to boost the profile of Crackle.com, the studio's own online video site, and a YouTube partnership could help promote the offering. Judging from other feature-film deals that Sony Pictures has cut with Hulu and others, Sony Pictures will likely not offer YouTube much more than a dozen films and will control advertising.

The studio also doesn't allow the syndication of its content, which means YouTube users won't be allowed to embed Sony Pictures content on their blogs or personal Web pages.

The biggest potential benefit for YouTube is that a successful partnership could attract other studios and TV networks.